Fishing reel

ABSTRACT

The fishing reel of the invention includes a line crank winding assembly having a ratchet about the outermost periphery of the assembly. The line winding assembly is journaled for rotation on an axle suitably mounted in a reel housing and the ratchet portion of the winding assembly is engageable with a spring loaded pawl pivotally mounted in the housing. Drag tension on the winding assembly may be selectively adjusted in response to movement of an eccentric disc provided to urge a spring against the pawl. The winding assembly is engaged and disengaged from the axle in the housing in response to movement of an eccentric locking means on the axle engaging the terminal edge of a bushing provided in the innermost portion of the line core hub of the winding assembly.

United States Patent [191 Jones June 26, 1973 1 FISHING REEL 22 Filed:May 13, 1971 211 App1.No.: 142,937

[52] U.S. Cl. 242/84.1 R, 242/84.51 R [51] Int. Cl A0lk 89/02 [58] Fieldof Search 242/84.51 R, 84.5 R,

[5 6] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 8/1932 Pflueger 242/84.51 R3/194'7. Bland et al 242/8451 R 11/1949 Maerk 242/218 4/1904 Rockwell242/8451 R Primary ExaminerBilly S. Taylor Attorney-John W. Kraft 57]ABSTRACT The fishing reel of the invention includes a line crank windingassembly having a ratchet about the outermost periphery of the assembly.The line winding assembly is joumaled for rotation on an axle suitablymounted in a reel housing and the ratchet portion of the windingassembly is engageable with a a spring loaded pawl pivotally mounted inthe housing. Drag tension on the winding assembly may be selectivelyadjusted in response to movement of an eccentric disc provided to urge aspring against the pawl. The winding assembly is engaged and disengagedfrom the axle in the housing in response to movement of an eccentriclocking means on the axle engaging the terminal edge of a bushingprovided in the innermost portion of the line core hub of the windingassembly.

5 Claims, 9 Drawing Figures PATENTEBJUI 26 an sum 1 0f 3 CYRIL W. JONESINVENTO PAlENIEflJunzsms 3.741.493

SHEEI 2 W 3 CYRIL W. JONES INVENTOR.

PATENTEUJUN 26 I975 sum anr 3 FIG. 8

FIG. 9

CYRIL W. JONES VENTQR yk W FISHING REEL FIELD OF INVENTION Thisinvention relates to fishing reels and more particularly to fishingreels commonly referred to as casting and fly type reels.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART Casting and fly type reels known inthe prior art use and employ gear-like ratchet control means suitablyfastened to the hub, axle or core of the reel operating mechanism. Sincesuch means are of small diameters, substantially strong material must beused to fabricate such parts and a degree of manual strength and agilityis required in their use. Usually such structures are complex and aredifficult to maintain except by those especially skilled in the art ofmanufacturing and assembling fishing reels.

Accordingly, it is an extremely important object of this invention toprovide a fishing reel having few'operating parts which may easily andreadily be assembled and disassembled for maintenance and cleaning bynovices to the art.

Another object of this invention is to provide in a fishing reelmeansoperable to advantageously optimally, use and employ maximum mechanicaladvantage to tend to reduce the manual strength and agility required inoperation.

These and other objects shall become apparent from the descriptionfollowing, it being understood that modifications may be made withoutaffecting the teachings of the invention here set out.

Generally, the fishing reel of the invention includes a line crankwinding assembly having a ratchet about the outermost periphery of theassembly. The line winding assembly is journaled for rotation on an axlesuitably mounted in a reel housing and the ratchet portion of thewinding assembly is engageable with a spring loaded pawl pivotallymounted in the housing. Drag tension on the winding assembly may beselectively adjusted in response to movement of an eccentric discprovided to urge a spring against the pawl. The winding assembly isengaged'and disengaged from the axle in the housing in response tomovement of an eccentric locking means on the axle engaging the terminaledge of a bushing provided in the innermost portion of the line core hubof the winding assembly.

A more thorough and comprehensive understanding may be had from thedetailed description of the preferred embodiment when read in connectionwith the drawings forming a part of this specification. I

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a side elevational view ofthe fishing reel of present invention showing to advantage the reelassembly locking control knob and the line brake-drag control knob.

FIG. 2 is an end elevational view of the reel of'this inventionadvantageously showing respective control members and crank windingassembly.

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of the side opposite the FIG. 1showing the crank winding assembly.

FIG. 4 is a side elevational view of the reel housing assembly as shownfrom the same side as the FIG. 3 having the crank winding assemblyremoved.

FIG. 5 is a side elevational view of the line brake-drag assembly withthe control knob and retainer means removed to show to advantage thespider eccentric brake-drag control assembly.

FIG. 6 is an exploded end elevational view of the reel housing assemblyand the crank winding assembly.

FIG. 7 is a side elevational view of the crank winding assembly asviewed from the side opposite the FIG. 3 showing to advantage theratchet portion of the crank winding assembly.

FIG. 8 is a cross sectional elevational view of the crank windingassembly taken substantially along the lines 8-8 of the FIG. 7. I

FIG. 9 is an exploded view of the reel axle and assem bly locking means.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to the drawingsand more particularly to the FIGS. 1, 2, and 3, the fishing reel of thepresent invention is shown to advantage and identified generally by thenumeral 10. The reel includes a reel assembly locking control knob 11, aline brake-drag control knob 12, an operating housing 13, a line crankwinding assembly 14 having a handle 15 and a pole mounting base 16. Theoperating housing 13 is provided with an annular line crank mountingframe 17 distally disposed from a housing body portion 18. Although theframe 17 is here shown carried by a multiplicity of outwardly projectingsupport arms 19 disposed between the body portion 18 and the annularframe 17, it is to be understood that the body 18 and the frame 17 maycomprise an integral housing having an exitway or opening through whicha fishing line may pass from the crank winding assembly 14. The crankwinding assembly 14 is journaled for rotation in the frame 17. The crankwinding assembly 14 is provided with a reel core portion 20 which isjournaled for rotation on an axle and assembly locking means 21 carriedby the body 18 of the housing assembly 13 as hereinafter laterdescribed.

Referring now to the FIG. 4, the operating assembly in the housing isshown to advantage. The reel axle and assembly locking means 21 iscentrally disposed in the body 18 and projects outwardly therefrom. Inorder to avoid descriptive redundancy the body 18 is hereinafter latermore fully described. A line brake-drag assembly 22 is distally mountedin the body 18 of the housing 13. The line brake-drag assembly 22includes the control knob 12 shown in the FIGS. 1 and 2. The knob 12 isprovided with a pin 23 journaled for rotation in the body 18 of thehousing 13. The knob 12 and the .pin 23 are suitably retained in thebody 18 such as by a commonly known locking washer shown at 24. Aneccentrically shaped substantially round spider-like disc 25, shown toadvantage in FIG. 5, is suitably fastened distally from the terminal endof the pin 23 opposite the knob 12. An outwardly retaining pin 26 issuitably fastened to the body 18 below the pin 23 carrying the eccentricdisc 25. A substantially triangular shaped pawl 27is pivotally carriedon a pin 28 mounted to the" body 18 of the housing 13. Asubstantially'S-shaped spring 29 is carried in a groove (not'shown) inthe base of the triangular pawl 27 and about the retaining pin 26 toengage the spider-like portions of the disc 25. As the knob 12 and thedisc 25 carried by the pin 23 are rotated, the eccentric disc 25 tendsto urge a greater or lesser force upon the spring 29 depending on thepreselected position of the eccentric disc 25 which istransmitted by thespring 29 to the pawl'2-7. A lock washer 30 is fastened on the terminalend of the pin 23 to tend to retain the spring 29 on the eccentric disc25 and between the washers 24 and 30. The pawl 27 engages a ratchet 31of the line crank assembly as hereinafter set out.

Referring now to the FIGS. 6, 7, and 8, the line crank assembly 14 isshown to advantage. The line crank assembly 14 comprises a tubular reelcore portion 20 carried between a pair of opposing upstanding walls 31and 32. A handle 15 is suitably fastened to the wall 31 and is operableto manually rotate the assembly 14. The core 20 is adapted to receive afish line (not shown) which may be wound thereon in response to rotationof the assembly 14. The opposite wall 32 is provided with a multiplicityof outwardly projecting tooth like portions 33 forming a ratchet aboutthe periphery thereof. The pawl 27 is engaged between the portions 33and is pivotally moved in response to rotation of the assembly 14. Agreater or lesser force is selectively urged by the pawl 27 on theassembly 14 in response to pressure urged against the spring 29 byreason of the positioning of the spring 29 on the accentric disc 25. Ithas been found in practice that a lesser pressure on a ratchet about aperiphery of a larger diameter is required than for an internal gearratchet of a smaller diameter. That is to say that it appears that theforce on the ratchet is directly proportional to the diameter squared orF=D Referring again to the FIG. 4, an anti-reverse stop pin such asshown at 34 may be suitably fastened to the body 18 distally above theterminal end of spring 29 adjacent the pawl 27. In this manner thespring 29 will engage the pin 34 and prevent pivotal movement of thepawl 28 in that direction. Hence, the ratchet portions 33 may not bemoved in that direction over the pawl 27.

The FIG. 9 advantageously shows the axle and assembly locking means 21.The means 21 include the knob 11 at one of the terminal ends of an axleshaft 35. The shaft 35 includes an upstanding pin 35A at the terminalend opposite the knob 11. The pin 35A is distally disposed from thecenter of the shaft 35. A substantially frictionless tubular sleeve 36is suitably fastened to the axle shaft 35. A pair of upstandingprojections 37 are provided at the terminal end opposite the knob 11. Asubstantially round washer 38 having a pair of opposing straight sidesis adapted to be carried between the projections 37. The washer 38 maybe suitably fastened to the shaft 35 such as by lock washers 39. Whenthe knob 11 is rotated, the pin 35A, carried by the shaft 35, tends tomove and project the washer 38 outwardly beyond the periphery of thesleeve 36. Referring again to the FIGS. 7 and 8, the core 20 is providedwith a bushing 40. The bushing 40 is of a lesser length than the, core20 leaving a recess or space 41 between the terminal end of the bushing40 and the wall 31 of the crank winding assembly 14 as more clearlyshown in the cross sectional elevational view of the FIG. 8. When theaxle and assembly locking means 21 is inserted into the bushing 40 ofthe crank winding assembly 14, the assembly 14 may be latched orunlatched from the housing by moving the washer 38 into and out of therecess 41 in response to rotational movement of the knob 11 and theshaft 35 by the eccentric movement of the pin 35A urging the washer 38into and out of the recess 41. Indicia may be placed on the outermostwall of the body 18 and on the knob 11 substantially as shown in FIG. 1to indicate open and locked positions of the assembly 10.

It will be noted that an O-ring 42 is shown adjacent the knob 11 on theshaft 35. It is to be understood that means such as the O-ring 42, andan O-ring in body 18 adjacent the wall 31 of the crank winding assembly14 may be desirable to sealingly keep water, sand, or other contaminantsfrom the operating assemblies of the invention.

Having thus described in detail a preferred apparatus which embodies theconcepts and principles of the invention and which accomplishes thevarious objects, purposes and aims thereof, it is to be appreciated andwill be apparent to those skilled in the art that many physical changescould be made in the apparatus without altering the inventive conceptsand principles embodied therein. Hence, it is intended that the scope ofthe invention be limited only to the extent indicated in the appendedclaims.

I claim:

1. A fishing real comprising a reel assembly and a reel housing, saidreel assembly having a pair of opposing upstanding side walls beingspaced apart by a tubular hub disposed between said walls, a crankhandle mounted on one of said side walls and being distally disposednear the terminal edge on the outermost side thereof with respect tosaid hub on said side wall, the

opposite said side wall including a multiplicity of toothlike portionsprojecting outwardly from said wall on the side opposite said tubularhub, said portions being annularly spaced apart at intervals adjacentthe terminal edge of said wall and forming a ratchet portion on saidwall, a bushing carried in said tubular hub of said reel, said bushingbeing shorter than said hub and being operable to form a recess portionin said hub adjacent the terminal end of said bushing, said housingcomprising an upstanding housing body and an annular frame being spacedapart by a multiplicity of supports, each of said supports including anexitway through which a fishing line carried by said reel may pass, anaxle portion in said housing body projecting outwardly from said wall,said axle comprising a shaft, a knob suitably fastened at one of theterminal ends of said shaft, a pin suitably fastened to the oppositeterminal end of said shaft and distally disposed eccentrically from thecenter of said shaft, a bushing carried by said shaft, a washer carriedby said pin, an entranceway at the centermost portion of said housingwall, said knob and said bushing being operable to fasten said shaft insaid entranceway, said washer being operable to selectively engage anddisengage said recess in said reel in response to rotation of said shaftand said pin to connect said reel to said axle, said reel assembly beingjournaled for rotation on said axle portion, means connecting said axleportion and said reel, a pawl pivotally mounted on said housing wallengageable with said ratchet portion of said reel.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 including means urging said pawl againstsaid ratchet portion of said reel and said pawl is substantiallytriangular in shape.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 in which said urging means comprises asubstantially S-shaped spring, said triangular shaped pawl includes atransverse groove, an upstanding pivot post being mounted to the body ofsaid housing, spring urging means suitably fastened to said housingbody, one of the end portions of said spring being carried in saidgroove in said pawl and exengagement with said disc, retaining means onsaid pin operable to hold said spring in engagement with said disc.

5. The apparatus of claim 3 including an upstanding stop mounted on saidhousing body adjacent said pawl and distally from said spring, said stopbeing operable to limit movement in one direction of said pawl inresponse to movement of said spring against said stop.

1. A fishing real comprising a reel assembly and a reel housing, saidreel assembly having a pair of opposing upstanding side walls beingspaced apart by a tubular hub disposed between said walls, a crankhandle mounted on one of said side walls and being distally disposednear the terminal edge on the outermost side thereof with respect tosaid hub on said side wall, the opposite said side wall including amultiplicity of tooth-like portions projecting outwardly from said wallon the side opposite said tubular hub, said portions being annularlyspaced apart at intervals adjacent the terminal edge of said wall andforming a ratchet portion on said wall, a bushing carried in saidtubular hub of said reel, said bushing being shorter than said hub andbeing operable to form a recess portion in said hub adjacent theterminal end of said bushing, said housing comprising an upstandinghousing body and an annular frame being spaced apart by a multiplicityof supports, each of said supports including an exitway through which afishing line carried by said reel may pass, an axle portion in saidhousing body projecting outwardly from said wall, said axle comprising ashaft, a knob suitably fastened at one of the terminal ends of saidshaft, a pin suitably fastened to the opposite terminal end of saidshaft and distally disposed eccentrically from the center of said shaft,a bushing carried by said shaft, a washer carried by said pin, anentranceway at the centermost portion of said housing wall, said knoband said bushing being operable to fasten said shaft in saidentranceway, said washer being operable to selectively engage anddisengage said recess in said reel in response to rotation of said shaftand said pin to connect said reel to said axle, said reel assembly beingjournaled for rotation on said axle portion, means connecting said axleportion and said reel, a pawl pivotally mounted on said housing wallengageable with said ratchet portion of said reel.
 2. The apparatus ofclaim 1 including means urging said pawl against said ratchet portion ofsaid reel and said pawl is substantially triangular in shape.
 3. Theapparatus of claim 2 in which said urging means comprises asubstantially S-shaped spring, said triangular shaped pawl includes atransverse groove, an upstanding pivot post being mounted to the body ofsaid housing, spring urging means suitably fastened to said housingbody, one of the end portions of said spring being carried in saidgroove in said pawl and extending about said pivot post, the oppositeterminal end of said spring being in operative engagement with saidspring urging means.
 4. The apparatus of claim 3 in which said springurging means comprises an operating pin having a knob suitably fastenedto one of its terminal ends, said pin being journaled for rotation insaid housing body, means fastening said pin in said housing body, aspider-like disc eccentrically carried by said pin, the terminal end ofsaid spring opposite said pawl being in operative engagement with saiddisc, retaining means on said pin operable to hold said spring inengagement with said disc.
 5. The apparatus of claim 3 including anupstanding stop mounted on said housing body adjacent said pawl anddistally from said spring, said stop being operable to limit movement inone direction of said pawl in response to movement of said springagainst said stop.